Japanese Film Festival 2025 unveils dynamic lineup for 28th year
Japanese Film Festival 2025 unveils dynamic lineup for 28th year
Stills from Perfect Days, Monster, Akira, Godzilla Minus One, Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle, and Sand Land
Japanese Film Festival 2025 to screen 12 feature films for 28th year | Courtesy of JFF
For its 28th year, the annual Japanese Film Festival (JFF) will bring a mix of recent critically acclaimed releases, romantic comedies, and animated cult classics to Philippine theaters. The festival will run beginning February 7 in select cinemas nationwide. Similar to recent years, admission is free for all screenings.
The JFF is one of the country's most highly-anticipated international film festivals, drawing over 40,000 cinema-goers just last year. In partnership with the Film Development Council of the Philippines, JT International (Philippines) Inc., and the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines, the 2025 JFF will screen 12 feature films.
Festival Director Yojiro Tanaka describes this year’s lineup as “satori,” a term in Zen Buddhism meaning sudden awakening or enlightenment. “Satori is the perfect word to describe this year’s lineup of films, whether it’s the profound awakening of the characters in the movie or the feeling that the audience will get after watching.”
Film Line-up
The festival will kick off on January 30 at the Shangri-La Red Carpet Cinema with the Philippine premiere of the Academy Award-winning film Godzilla Minus One. Most notably, the JFF will showcase the remastered version of Akira. It will also screen Sand Land, the final film by the late Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama.
On top of this, the audiences can anticipate the screening of the critically acclaimed Perfect Days directed by Wim Wenders, and Monster by Hirokazu Kore-eda.
GODZILLA MINUS ONE by Takashi Yamazaki — Best Visual Effects - Academy Awards 2024
PERFECT DAYS by Wim Wenders — Best International Feature Film Nominee - Academy Awards 2024
AKIRA by Katsuhiro Otome — Silver Scream Award - Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival 1992
HAIKYU!! THE DUMPSTER BATTLE by Haruichi Furudate — Animation of the Year Nominee - Japan Academy Awards 2025
SAND LAND by Toshihisa Yokoshima — Best Animation Feature Nominee - Japan Academy Awards 2025
DITO by Takashi Yuki
LET’S GO KARAOKE by Nobuhiro Yamashita — Best Film - Nippon Connection Japanese Film Festival 2024
OUR SECRET DIARY by Kentaro Takemura
THE IMAGINARY by Yoshiyuki Momose — Best Feature Film Nominee - Annecy International Animated Film Festival 2024
MATCHED by Eiji Uchida
MONSTER by Hirokazu Kore-eda — Palme d’Or Nominee - Cannes Film Festival 2023
UNDER THE OPEN SKY by Miwa Nishikawa — Best Screenplay Nominee - Japan Academy Awards 2022
Screening Venues and Schedules
Audiences can catch the JFF 2025 at the following cinemas and dates:
JFF 2025 screening schedules and dates | Courtesy of JFF
Frequently Asked Questions
Can seats be reserved online? — Online reservations can be made through partner cinemas. Admission is free for all screenings but a convenience fee may apply for tickets procured online.
Are walk-ins allowed? — Walk-in guests are welcome if seats are still unoccupied. Please bear in mind that seats are limited and are not guaranteed.
For more information, visit www.japanesefilmfestph.jfmo.org.ph or follow the JFF on social media.
